‘It was a racial massacre:’ Brazil’s Rio residents condemn police killings: Video
Residents of Rio de Janeiro’s Morro do Alemão favela in Brazil have accused security forces of carrying out a massacre during a police operation earlier this week, describing it as one of the deadliest in Brazil’s history.
“What happened here was not a simple operation. What happened here was a mass murder of young people with a future, lives cut short even though they had surrendered,” said Zumbi, a local resident. “There were corpses lying on the ground and rivers of blood throughout the favela, this will go down in history as the greatest murder in the history of Brazil.”
Community members gathered in the streets holding banners and chanting against Rio’s governor, Claudio Castro, whom they accused of ordering excessive violence. Witnesses say several victims had already surrendered before being shot. “We are not defending criminals, we are defending justice,” said resident Claudia Vitalino. “Police officers do not have the power to kill people, they need to learn that,” she told Viory.
Others demanded transparency from the authorities, calling for the release of autopsy reports and police camera footage. “Where is the evidence to say that all those bodies lying in the street were really criminals?” asked resident Reis. “The police are made to protect only the rights of the bourgeoisie, not us.”
Authorities have yet to release a full report on the operation or confirm the number of deaths.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
